Method and Apparatus for Lining a Pipe

Abstract

A repair assembly and method of use is provided. The repair assembly includes a liner assembly for repairing a pipe system including a first pipe, a second pipe extending from the first pipe, and in some embodiments a third pipe extending from the second pipe. The third pipe may include multiple pipes. The repair assembly further includes a bladder assembly. The liner and bladder assembly are configured to work together to be positioned within the first, second, third and any additional pipes to line and repair all of the components of the pipe system in a single repair. Such repair will reduce the amount of time required to repair such pipe systems, and will increase the efficiency of repairing pipes.

1 . A repair assembly for repairing an access pipe and a portion of a lateral pipe, the access pipe having a lower portion in communication with the lateral pipe and an upper portion in communication with the atmosphere, the repair assembly comprising:
 a bladder assembly including an access bladder tube and a lateral bladder tube extending from the access bladder tube; and   a liner assembly including an access liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the access pipe and a lateral liner tube extending from the access liner tube and configured to line at least a portion of the lateral pipe in a first direction away from the access pipe and a second direction away from the access pipe;   wherein the access liner tube is configured to be positioned between the access bladder tube and the access pipe, and the lateral liner tube is configured to be positioned between the lateral bladder tube and the lateral pipe; and   wherein at least a portion of the liner assembly includes a resin absorbent material.   
     
     
         2 . The repair assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lateral liner tube includes a first portion configured to extend in the first direction from the access pipe and a second portion configured to extend in the second direction from the access pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The repair assembly of  claim 2  wherein the lateral bladder tube includes a first portion configured to extend in the first direction from the access pipe and a second portion configured to extend in the second direction from the access pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The repair assembly of  claim 3  wherein the access liner tube is disposed at least partially within the access bladder tube and the lateral liner tube is positioned at least partially within the lateral bladder tube, and the access bladder tube and access liner tube are invertable into the access pipe and the lateral bladder tube and the lateral liner tube are invertable into the lateral pipe. 
     
     
         5 . A method for repairing a portion of an access pipe and a portion of a lateral pipe wherein the access pipe has a lower portion in communication with the lateral pipe and an upper portion in communication with the atmosphere, the method comprising:
 providing a bladder assembly including an access bladder tube and a lateral bladder tube extending from the access bladder tube, wherein the lateral bladder tube has a first portion configured to extend in a first direction and a second portion configured to extend in a second direction;   providing a liner assembly comprising an access liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the access pipe, a lateral liner tube extending from the access liner tube and configured to line at least a portion of the lateral pipe, wherein the lateral liner tube has a first portion configured to extend in the first direction and a second portion configured to extend in the second direction;   impregnating the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening;   positioning the liner assembly in the access pipe and lateral pipe;   inverting and expanding the liner assembly such that the access liner tube extends into and in contact with the access pipe and such that the lateral liner tube extends into and in contact with the lateral pipe in the first direction and the second direction; and   allowing the material to cure and harden.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising removing the bladder assembly after the material has cured and hardened. 
     
     
         7 . A repair assembly for repairing at least a portion of a lateral pipe and at least a portion of a main pipe, the repair assembly comprising:
 a bladder assembly including an access bladder tube, a lateral bladder tube extending from the access bladder tube, and a main bladder tube extending from the lateral bladder tube; and   a liner assembly including a lateral liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the lateral pipe and a main liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the main pipe;   wherein the lateral liner tube is configured to be positioned between the lateral bladder tube and the lateral pipe, and the main liner tube is configured to be positioned between the main bladder tube and the main pipe; and   wherein at least a portion of the liner assembly includes a resin absorbent material.   
     
     
         8 . The repair assembly of  claim 7  wherein the main liner tube includes a first portion configured to extend in the first direction from the lateral pipe and a second portion configured to extend in the second direction from the lateral pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The repair assembly of  claim 7  wherein the main bladder tube is frangibly attached to the main liner tube. 
     
     
         10 . The repair assembly of  claim 7  wherein the lateral bladder tube is frangibly attached to the lateral liner tube. 
     
     
         11 . The repair assembly of  claim 7  wherein the liner assembly further comprises an access liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the access pipe, wherein the access liner tube is configured to be positioned between the access bladder tube and the access pipe. 
     
     
         12 . A method for repairing a portion of a lateral pipe and a portion of a main pipe in communication therewith, wherein an access pipe has a lower portion in communication with the lateral pipe and an upper portion in communication with the atmosphere, the method comprising:
 providing a bladder assembly including an access bladder tube, a lateral bladder tube extending from the access bladder tube, and a main bladder tube extending from the lateral bladder tube;   providing a liner assembly including a lateral liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the lateral pipe and a main liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the main pipe;   impregnating the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening;   positioning the lateral liner tube in the lateral bladder tube and the main liner tube in main bladder tube;   inverting the liner assembly such that the access bladder tube extends into the access pipe, the lateral liner tube extends into and in contact with at least a portion of the lateral pipe, and the main liner tube extends into and in contact with at least a portion of the main pipe; and   allowing the material to cure and harden.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising removing the bladder assembly after the material has cured and hardened. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of frangibly attaching the lateral liner tube to the lateral bladder tube. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of frangibly attaching the main liner tube to the main bladder tube. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the liner assembly further comprises an access liner tube and inverting the access liner such that the access liner extends into and in contact with at least a portion of the access pipe. 
     
     
         17 . A repair assembly for repairing at least a portion of a lateral pipe and at least a portion of a main pipe, the repair assembly comprising:
 a bladder assembly including an access bladder tube, a lateral bladder tube extending from the access bladder tube, and a main bladder tube extending from the lateral bladder tube, wherein the lateral bladder tube has a first portion configured to extend in a first direction and a second portion configured to extend in a second direction; and   a liner assembly including an access liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the access pipe, a lateral liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the lateral pipe, and a main liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the main pipe, wherein the lateral liner tube has a first portion configured to extend in a first direction and a second portion configured to extend in a second direction;   wherein the access liner tube is configured to be positioned between the access bladder tube and the access pipe, the lateral liner tube is configured to be positioned between the lateral bladder tube and the lateral pipe, and the main liner tube is configured to be positioned between the main bladder tube and the main pipe; and   wherein at least a portion of the liner assembly includes a resin absorbent material.   
     
     
         18 . The repair assembly of  claim 17  wherein the main liner tube includes a first portion configured to extend in the first direction from the lateral pipe and a second portion configured to extend in the second direction from the lateral pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The repair assembly of  claim 17  wherein the main bladder tube is frangibly attached to the main liner tube. 
     
     
         20 . The repair assembly of  claim 17  wherein the lateral bladder tube is frangibly attached to the lateral liner tube. 
     
     
         21 . A method for repairing a portion of a lateral pipe and a portion of a main pipe in communication therewith, wherein an access pipe has a lower portion in communication with the lateral pipe and an upper portion in communication with the atmosphere, the method comprising:
 providing a bladder assembly including an access bladder tube, a lateral bladder tube extending from the access bladder tube, and a main bladder tube extending from the lateral bladder tube;   providing a liner assembly including an access liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the access pipe, a lateral liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the lateral pipe, and a main liner tube configured to line at least a portion of the main pipe, wherein the lateral liner tube has a first portion configured to extend in the first direction and a second portion configured to extend in the second direction;   impregnating the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening;   positioning the access liner tube in the access bladder, the lateral liner tube in the lateral bladder tube, and the main liner tube positioned in main bladder tube;   inverting the liner assembly such that the access bladder tube extends into the access pipe and in contact with at least a portion of the access pipe, the lateral liner tube extends into and in contact with at least a portion of the lateral pipe in the first direction and the second direction, and the main liner tube extends into and in contact with at least a portion of the main pipe; and   allowing the material to cure and harden.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising removing the bladder assembly after the material has cured and hardened. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the main liner tube has a first portion configured to extend in a first direction away from the lateral pipe and a second portion configured to extend in a second direction away from the lateral pipe. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of frangibly attaching the lateral liner tube to the lateral bladder tube. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of frangibly attaching the main liner tube to the main bladder tube.